Craig Charles is a British actor, comedian, DJ, and presenter, born on 11 July 1964 in Liverpool. He is best known for his iconic role as Dave Lister in the sci-fi sitcom Red Dwarf, a part he has played since 1988 which cemented his place in British pop culture. Charles is also widely recognised for playing Lloyd Mullaney in the soap opera Coronation Street, appearing in over 650 episodes. Join us at liverpool-trend.com as we explore the most interesting facts about the multi-talented Liverpudlian’s life and career.
Craig Charles – The Many Facets of a Talented Personality
Craig Charles is a multifaceted entertainer: an actor, poet, presenter, DJ, and music curator. His contribution to popularising funk and soul music in Britain has been immense, and he remains a prominent figure in the scene.
His presenting career includes hosting the cult game show Robot Wars from 1998 to 2004. But Craig is also a celebrated radio DJ, hosting The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show on BBC Radio 6 Music and formerly on BBC Radio 2.
Charles’s diverse career began with performance poetry in the 1980s, a topic we will delve into later. It was clear he had a love for poetry, and his recitals showcased his natural acting abilities, while his unconventional outlook on life was evident from a young age.
Charles’s Liverpool upbringing and his mixed Guyanese-Irish heritage have both influenced his artistic style and on-screen persona. He remains a significant figure in British entertainment, his versatile talent and charm enduring through the years.
Biographical Details about Craig Charles
Craig Joseph Charles was born on 11 July 1964 in Liverpool, England. He will turn 61 in 2025. He holds British citizenship, but his heritage is multinational: his father is from Guyana and his mother is Irish. This cultural blend has noticeably shaped his creative outlook.
Family and Childhood
Charles grew up on the Cantril Farm estate in Liverpool with his three brothers: Dean, Jimmy, and Emile. He showed a flair for poetry from an early age, winning a national poetry competition organised by The Guardian newspaper at just 12 years old. This success was the first public sign of his artistic calling.
Liverpool, a city with a vibrant music scene and rich cultural life, provided a fertile ground for the young Craig to develop. It was here that he found the inspiration that would later transform into a multifaceted career, from poet to DJ.
Education
Craig Charles attended West Derby Comprehensive School and later Childwall Hall College. His education allowed him to immerse himself in a creative environment where he could cultivate his performance skills.
Family Life
Craig Charles has been married to Jackie Fleming since 1999. He has a son, Jack, from his previous marriage to actress Cathy Tyson. With Jackie, he has two daughters, Anna-Jo and Nellie.
Are Howard and Craig Charles Related?
Howard Charles and Craig Charles are not related. Although they are both Black British actors with the same surname, there are no confirmed family ties between them. Howard was born in London and is known for his role as Porthos in the BBC series The Musketeers. Craig, as we’ve mentioned, hails from Liverpool. Therefore, Howard and Craig are not brothers. The common internet search query arises from their shared surname and profession.
How Did Craig Charles Start His Comedy Career?
Craig Charles began his comedy career as a performance poet on the British cabaret circuit. In the beginning, these were poetry performances rather than roles in film or television, but they helped him to hone his talent.
Charles’s performances were original and ironic, so it’s no surprise that he caught the attention of talent scouts. In his teens and early twenties, Craig performed his own material on television and radio.
A turning point came in 1981 when, at a concert by The Teardrop Explodes, Charles read a humorous poem about the band’s frontman. The band appreciated his creativity and invited him to be their opening act for subsequent gigs. For several years, Charles performed in clubs, pubs, and at music events, perfecting his unique comedic style.
Next came television. Craig became known as a “punk poet” on the BBC’s Oxford Road Show, and from 1985 to 1987, he was a regular on the late-night comedy show Saturday Live. Over time, Charles increasingly used poetry as a tool for humour, which led to a natural transition into stand-up comedy and solo shows.
His debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1986 marked the beginning of a new chapter in his career. His energetic, witty, and socially aware performances established his reputation as one of the leading figures of British alternative comedy. This is what paved the way for his role as Dave Lister in Red Dwarf in 1988.
Film Roles
Now we come to the Liverpudlian comedian’s film career. Craig Charles doesn’t have an extensive list of film roles, having appeared in only a handful of movies. His notable film work includes:
- The British drama film Fated (2006) – where he played the lead role of Pedro.
- The crime thriller Clubbing to Death (2008) – in which he portrayed Carl Beggsley.
- The Dealer (2006, short film) – where he played Scott Flowers.
Charles is, first and foremost, widely known for his iconic television roles, particularly Dave Lister in the sci-fi comedy series Red Dwarf (1988–2020) and Lloyd Mullaney in Coronation Street (2005-2015). He has also appeared in TV dramas. One that deserves special mention is The Governor, where he played the inmate Eugene Buffy.
Charles’s filmography includes a mix of feature films, shorts, and made-for-TV movies, with a career spanning from the mid-1980s to the present day. The Liverpudlian actor seems to possess a remarkable stamina, never tiring of his work on stage and screen. Although his film roles have become less frequent, those on his record demonstrate his versatility as an actor.
Craig Charles and Funk/Soul
Since 2002, Craig Charles has hosted The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show on BBC Radio 6 Music, where every Saturday from 6 PM to 9 PM, he plays a mix of classic and new funk, soul, jazz, blues, and hip-hop. The programme includes interviews with artists, audience interaction, and themed segments, including “Talcum Time” and the “Trunk of Funk.”
Beyond radio, Charles is an active DJ, performing at festivals (including Glastonbury and WOMAD) and clubs worldwide. His project, The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club, is also a successful series of compilation albums featuring both classic and contemporary tracks. For instance, on Vol. 6, he combines rare grooves from the 1970s with modern tracks from artists like Smoove & Turrell, Courtney Pine, and The Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio.
In Conclusion
Craig Charles stands as one of the most famous and versatile entertainers to emerge from the streets of Liverpool. His journey from performance poet to iconic television star showcases the power of a talent rooted in a working-class city with a vibrant cultural scene.
The Liverpudlian comedian later moved to Altrincham, an affluent suburb of Manchester, where he is believed to still reside. But this doesn’t erase the formative role our city played in his life. Incidentally, Liverpool is also the hometown of another outstanding comedian, Alexei Sayle, who also left an indelible mark on British humour.
